by Dave Little, Meadowlands Media
Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Bee A Magician shook off
the cobwebs after a five-month layoff and stormed home in deep stretch to gun
down arch-rival Shake It Cerry in her 2016 debut as a 6-year-old to win the
featured $25,000 open handicap trot at the Meadowlands.
Shake It Cerry, sent off as the 4-5
favorite, made the early lead and was permitted to cut tepid fractions of :28.1
and :57.2 as the field raced single file past the half-mile marker.
Gural Hanover vacated the three hole at
the five-eighths and came after the leader as Bee A Magician got into the outer
flow, gradually making up ground to get into striking position.
At the head of the stretch, after three-quarters
went in 1:25.2, Gural Hanover, the 7-1 fourth choice, came alongside Shake It
Cerry, who appeared vulnerable despite the easy fractions.
In midstretch, driver Brian Sears tipped
Bee A Magician off cover and rolled to an easy ¾-length score in 1:52. Gural
Hanover outlasted Shake It Cerry for second.
The winner returned $5.60 to win as the
9-5 second choice, winning for the 42nd time in 66 starts for
trainer Richard Norman and owners Melvin Hartman, Herb Liverman and David
McDuffie. Look for Bee A Magician in the May 8 Mack Lobell Elitlopp Playoff at
the Big M, along with JL Cruze, Gural Hanover and Shake It Cerry, who will also
be in the Mother’s Day event, with the winner earning a berth in the May 29
Elitlopp in Sweden.
CREATINE RETIRED: It was announced
Thursday that Creatine was retired due to a suspensory injury. The lifetime
earner of $2.1 million will stand stud at Diamond Creek Farm in Pennsylvania.
KATIE SAID TAKES F&M OPEN: Katie Said went an ideal
second-over trip and stormed home to take the $25,000 open handicap pace for
fillies and mares. The Jimmy Takter trainee got a perfect steer from Brett
Miller to win by 1¼-lengths over Divine Caroline. Table Talk, the even-money
favorite, was third.
The winner paid $9.60 for owners Black
Horse Racing of Lebanon, NJ, and went the mile in in 1:50.4.
CARRYOVER CLIMB CONTINUES: The 12th race
20 cent Jackpot Super High Five once again was not hit, upping the carryover to
$189,475.79 for the next program.
All-source wagering on the 12-race
program was $2,415,266.
Live racing resumes at the Meadowlands on
Saturday, first race post time is 7:15 p.m.
